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It’s not uncommon for pregnant women to experience urinary incontinence at some time in their pregnancy. The experience of course varies from woman to woman and even pregnancy to pregnancy but the uncontrolled leakage of urine is an almost certainty for the expectant mother. The frequency and flow of the incontinence can also vary. Some women may have frequent episodes while others have relatively few. Likewise, the amount of urine passed may vary from a few drops to a heavy flow. Incontinence may start at the beginning of pregnancy and not end until well after the baby is born. Or, as this unpredictable condition is likely to do, it may end immediately after birth but then reoccur years later but as a completely different type of urinary incontinence.

Urinary Incontinence While Pregnant

Stress incontinence is a common experience for pregnant women. The body is obviously going through a number of changes as the baby grows and there are new pressures being applied as a result of that growth. Stress incontinence is caused when these new pressures simply overwhelm the bladder sphincter and it can no longer effectively control the flow of urine. While it’s possible that the pregnant Mom may be experiencing a type of incontinence known as overactive bladder which causes her to urinate frequently, stress incontinence is by far the more common cause of involuntary urination during pregnancy. What makes this condition so troublesome and potentially embarrassing is that it is so unpredictable and a single action like a sneeze, cough or anything else that contracts the abdominal muscles can bring on the incontinence.

Post Pregnancy Urinary Incontinence

As a rule, stress incontinence is not a problem once the child is born. Obviously the source of the pressure has been removed and with it the cause of the stress. Some women however, may continue to have issues with incontinence because of weakening of the muscles of the pelvic floor as a result of the birthing process. This weakened condition can allow incontinence from an overactive bladder. Actually weakened muscles are only one condition that may affect the bladder after giving birth. Other significant conditions include:

• A shifting of organs during the pregnancy including the bladder and urethra.
• An episiotomy may have been performed to minimize the tearing of pelvic floor muscles during birthing.
• The fine nerves surrounding the bladder may have been damaged during the delivery
• Treatments For Urinary Incontinence Brought On By Pregnancy

Depending on the cause, a woman has a number of treatment options to control urinary incontinence during her pregnancy. Perhaps the simplest is managing her fluid intake and scheduling bathroom visits. By setting a schedule for both consuming liquids and then passing them at scheduled times, she can control light stress incontinence and quite often train her body to go 3 or 4 hours between visits.

If the incontinency is persistent, medical devices are available that can strengthen pelvic floor muscles or even block the urethra. If the condition is brought on by muscle spasms, medications are available that can control the spasms and ease the affect on an overactive bladder.

Toning up the affected muscles is another option for better control of incontinence. Exercise, particularly the Kegel exercise method can provide vastly improved function of the urethra and rectal sphincter although it does take a concerted effort over 4 to 12 weeks to get the full benefit.

Kegel exercises are also applicable after child birth to help minimize any incontinence. However, if after a couple of months there is not an improvement in the condition, the new Mother should notify her doctor as there may be an underlying condition that is more serious and that requires medical treatment. If ignored or left untreated, light incontinence can set the stage for more damage that can lead to a more serious incontinence condition at a later date.

While pregnancy and giving birth is a beautiful part of the human experience, it can also have a tremendous impact on a woman’s risk for developing incontinence in future years. Think about it for a moment. Think about all of the things that can have an impact on the pelvic floor during birth. The size of the baby, the episiotomy cut, a vaginal delivery as opposed to a C section or a long drawn out labor, or any event that causes trauma during birth can all play a part in increasing the likelihood of developing stress incontinence in the future.

The Risk Of Future Urinary Incontinence

So is the risk of incontinence reason enough not to become pregnant? Of course not! However, a woman should know enough about her urinary health to minimize any impact of incontinence. Specifically she should take steps to improve muscle tone, control weight gain and ask her doctor for answers to any questions she may have on urinary incontinence. Preparing for and paying attention to any problems that occur during pregnancy can pay huge dividends by staving off serious incontinence problems in the future.

Are you pregnant and having difficulty dealing with incontinence? Would you like to learn how you can better manage this condition? Dryforlife.co.uk understands what you are going through. Often times there is an underlying condition to urinary incontinence that, once diagnosed, can be resolve quickly. For discreet advice on this condition visit us at http://incontinencehelp.dryforlife.co.uk/topics/types-of-incontinence/urge-incontinence-types-of-incontinence-2/.